Charles w



(ModeL) O. W. VOGEL.

ARM CHAIR AND WRITING DESK.

No. 310,626. Patented Jan. 13, 1885.

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4 all/7111111 rrnn Mares CHARLES w. VOGEL, or

ARM- CHAIR AND T rrrcn.

,QENTREVILLE, INDIANA.

WRITING-=DESK.

Application filed January 16, 188-1. (Model) To 60% whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. Voenn, of Centreville, in the countyof YVayne and State ofIndia-na, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Arm-Chair and Vriti ng-Desk; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in combined arm-chairs and writing desks or work-boxes which are connected thereto; and it consists, first, in the combination of the chair provided with arms with a desk or boX of any suitable construction having a groove or recess in its under side so as to fit over and upon the arm of the chair, and a suitable strip which is applied to the under side ofthe arm, and in which screws which pass through the desk or the box are made to catch; second,in the combination of a chair, a writing-desk which is pivoted upon the arm of the chair, the hinged top ofthe desk, and a slide which acts both as a cover for the inkstand and to lock the cover of the desk in position; third, in the combination of the chair, the desk which is pivoted upon one of its arms, and an inkstand which is so constructed that the ink will not run out when the desk is dropped down by the side oil the chair.

The object of my invention is to attach to an armchair writing-desks or work-boxes which can be folded down by the side of the chair, so as to form, as it were, a part of the arm of the chair, but which can be raised into position, so that a person sitting in the chair can use either the box or the desk as conveniently as they could if they were placed upon a table within easy and convenient reach.

Figure l is a front elevation of the chair, showing the work-box and the writing-desk in raised positions in solid lines and in lowered positions in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross-section taken through one of the boxes and the arm of the chair. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the combined cover for the inkstand and catch for the cover of the writing-desk. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the wire brackets in which the baskets are suspended. Fig.

l 5 is a vertical cross-section of a chair embodying my invention, the top of the chair being broken away. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the drawer, the spring for moving it,and the catch. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the catch. Fig. 8 is a vertical section of the writing-desk by itself, showing the recess for receiving the pivotal rod of the chair.

A represents an arm-chair of any desired shape, size, or construction. In the body of the chair, under the seat, is placed the drawer B, behind which is placed the flat spring for the purpose of forcing the drawer outward as soon as the spring-actuated catch JD is pressed upon. The upper end of this catch projects above one side of the seat, near the front edge of the chair, and has its lower end eatchin a notch in the top edge of the drawer so as to hold it in position. A flat spring, a, bears against the lower edge of the catch, so as to hold it always in position to act, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. This drawer, not being provided with handle or other attachment upon its front end, looks as if it were a part of the molding or ornamentation upon the chair, and is not readily noticeable. The spring-catch is located to one side of the drawer, where it is not likelyto attract attention, and hence only those who understand the working of the catch would be likely to findout that the chair was provided with a drawer.

The arms of the chair are made of round rods E, and in the under side of bot-h the writingbox F and the work-boxG are made suitable recesses, b, which are so shaped as to fit over these round arms and to turn freely there on. Applied to the under side of the arms and against the under side of the pieces :20 of both the desk and the box in suitable recesses, b, which are made to receive them, are the strips H, which form a part of the pivots up on which the desk and box turn. These strips H are secured rigidly to the box by means of screws, which pass through the bottom of the box into the strips. The arms being clasped between the concaved piece a: of the box or desk and the strip,the box or desk turns freely upon the arm, so as to be raised either into a horizontal position ready for use, or to be turned downward so as to form, as it were, a part of the arm of the chair. By this construction boxes or desks can be applied to the arms of a chair in such a manner as to form a neat finish, and to have greater strength than can be obtained where hinges are employed for this purpose.

In order to support the desk or box in a horizontal position, the pivoted braces I are used, and which braces automatically open and close with the raising or lowering of the box or desk. After the box or desk has been raised into ahorizontal position it becomes necessary to exert a slight pull upon the braces, so as to makethem bend over past their centers until they strike the stops K, which are provided for them. Before the box or desk can be lowereda pull in the opposite direction upon the braces must be exerted, so as to move their central pivots outward sufiiciently far to allow the brace to close as the desk or box is dropped downward.

In the writing-desk is placed an inkstand, L,which, instead of being of the ordinary construction, has the main portion of its body turned at right angles to its upper end, as shown, so that when the desk is dropped down the ink will not run out upon the floor, as it otherwise would do if the inkstand were of the ordinary construction.

Through the top of the lid of the desk is made an opening, so that the neck of the inkstand will come just flush with the upper surface of the top when it is closed. In orderto close this inkstand, a U-shaped slide, N, is used,which serves the double purpose of closingthe inkstand and of locking the top of the desk down in position. This slide is formed of a piece of metal which is bent into a U shape, so as to straddle over the inner edge of the top of the desk, as shown. Its front end, 0, upon the upper side of the cover, serves to slide over the inkstand, while the end I? on the underside of the cover serves to catch under the projection Q, which is secured to the desk for this purpose. 'XVhen the slide is pushed into that position where the inkstand is closed, the cover is locked down upon the desk, so that it will not drop open when the desk is dropped down in position by the side of the chair. Should a person forget to move the slide so as to close the inkstand when the desk is dropped down, the ink will not spill out of the inkstand, and no greater damage can result than the dropping of the cover downward and spilling the things in the desk.

In order to enable baskets to receive either waste-paper or other similar material, or to hold work to be attached to the chair, suitable perforated supports are secured rigidly to the sides of the chair, as shown. Through the supports are passed the ends S of the brackets T. These brackets are made of a single piece of wire or iron rod, and are bent so as to form the horizontal portion V,the circular portion U, through which the basket is passed, and the handle WV on its lower end. By means of the handles the baskets can be swung around in front of the chair, or around under the seat of the chair,where they will be entirely out of the way. This construction enables a basket to be applied to each side of the chair to receive articles of various kinds,

and adds greatly to the comfort of the user of the chair.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination of the chair having a pivotal rod or bar, E, on which the box or desk turns,with the desk or box having arecess in its under side to receive the said rod or bar, and a brace or support to lock the desk or box in an elevated position, substantially as shown.

2. The combination,with the desk, of a chair provided with a pivotal rod or bar, to which desk is fastened an L-shaped inkstand secured in the desk, and a brace or support for looking the desk or box in an elevated position, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the chair, a desk pivoted thereto, and provided with a hinged lid or cover,with an L-shaped inkstand and projection Q in the desk, and the U-shaped slide 0, mounted on the edge of the lid, as and for the purpose set forth.

The combination of the arm-chair provided with the pivotal rod or bar E with the box or desk having a recess, b, in its under side, and provided with the piece H, by which it is secured to the rod or bar E, and the brace or support for holding the box in an elevated position, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES XV. VOGEL.

\Vitnessesr JAMEs H. GENTRY, THOS. G. DUNBAR.

IOO 

